


Peanut-Butter Love

by PajamaSecrets



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Abigail is a dog, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dogs, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2017-12-13 22:41:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PajamaSecrets/pseuds/PajamaSecrets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will Graham runs Wolf Trap Dog Rescue, a place for all the strays of Northern Virginia. When a handsome man takes in one of his dogs, he also takes Will's heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title will make sense soon.  
> I wanted a fluffy AU without all the blood and guts and couldn't find one, so I wrote one.  
> I hope you enjoy. :)  
> 

Every day, Will Graham woke up and began his routine.

 

Shower, dress, head to the kitchen. Make coffee, eat some toast. Go to the back room, wake the dogs. Feed the dogs, make sure their water bowls are full. Let the dogs out for a run.

 

Wolf Trap Dog Rescue wasn't very well known outside of Will's town, but he did put up little flyers in the college's public bulletin board. He also had an account on Petfinder, which was the source of most of his adoption success. He'd had successful adoptions from people all the way in Baltimore and even DC. His teaching position at North Virginia community college was rather flexible in that he only taught two classes a day. He could always run home if a potential dog owner wanted to see the puppies. (Practically all of the dogs were fully grown, but he called them puppies despite this fact.)

 

Will checked his message machine to check if he had any potential adoptees today. 

 

" _You have two new messages. To listen to your messages, press—_ "

 

Will jabbed the button before the machine could finish its sentence.

 

" _Hi, Will, it's Doctor Bloom. Just reminding you that our monthly appointment is on Saturday at four. If you need to reschedule—_ "

 

Will deleted the message. He had written down the appointment in his schedule long ago. It would be good to see Doctor Bloom. Will liked her. He also really needed a refill of his Ativan prescription.

 

" _Hello, I am calling because a colleague referred me to you. I would like to see your available dogs. Mine passed away last year, and I do feel the need for a new companion._ "

 

The man, whose accent was positively _arousing_ , left his number and several available times. Will wondered who it was that recommended his rescue. The man left his name and number (Doctor Hannibal Lecter. He was a _doctor_ ), and Will scribbled it onto a post-it.

 

Will checked his watch. 7:00 AM. Probably best to call back at a more reasonable hour.

 

—

 

Hannibal had just finished his three o'clock appointment when his phone rang.

 

He picked it up after the third ring. "Hello, this is Doctor Lecter."

 

"Ah, Doctor Lecter? This is Will Graham from Wolf Trap dog rescue. Do you want to make an appointment to come see the dogs?"

 

Hannibal smiled. "Yes. What times are you available?"

 

"Today? Any time, really. I'm done with work." The man replies.

 

"How about I come over at six?"

 

"Six works. Any particular type of dog you're looking for? Bigger, smaller, active, quiet?" The man on the other line asks.

 

"I'll see what strikes my fancy when I arrive," Hannibal answers. 

 

—

 

Sure enough, at six o'clock, Hannibal knocked on Will's door.

 

"Hello! Doctor Lecter?"

 

"Yes." Hannibal answered, reaching out his hand to shake Will's. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Graham."

 

"Call me Will."

 

Hannibal was dressed impeccably. He wore a dark gray suit, black dress shirt, and a burgundy-colored tie. Will swallowed. Hannibal had a handsome face to match his gorgeous accent.

 

"The dogs are in the back room," Will said, gesturing toward the inside of his house. "Follow me."

 

Hannibal followed Will to a large room in the back of Will's house. Barking dogs sprung out as soon as Will and Hannibal entered, eager to meet the new visitor. 

 

"Whoa, guys, slow down," Will laughed, giving a few of the dogs a friendly scratch on the head. He turned to Hannibal. "All of them are available. Except for Winston. That golden retriever mix," Will pointed out. "He's my dog."

 

As soon as the dogs calmed down a little, he had a chance to take in the room. Wood floors, but lots of dog beds and pillows strewn about. Several bowls of dog food and water lay in the corner alongside well-loved chew toys. There was a scratched-up door which presumably led to the backyard.

 

The dogs all happily wagged their tails as Hannibal surveyed them. One dog, though, was a little shyer than the others. The dog was beautiful, with wavy white-and-chestnut fur and a slender, streamlined build. The dog turned its head, revealing a portion of its neck that was shaved, revealing a nasty scar.

 

Will noticed Hannibal eyeing the dog. "That's Abigail," Will said. "I'm pretty sure she's a purebred Irish Setter. Beautiful, isn't she?" Will smiled. "I must admit I'm a little attached to her, so I want her to go to a good home. You do know about my home inspection policy, right?"

 

Hannibal nodded. "I checked your Petfinder account. I hope you don't mind driving up to Baltimore."

 

"No problem," Will said. "I have Saturday off. I mean, I work at a college, so," Will shrugged. "Weekends."

 

Hannibal approached Abigail, kneeling on the floor. He held out a hand for her to sniff, and she hesitantly nudged his hand. Hannibal moved to scratch her behind the ear, noticing her tail beginning to wag slightly. 

 

"She likes you," Will chuckled. "Not usually the case."

 

Hannibal smiled. 

 

"So, if you're interested in her, I can do the house inspection on Saturday, and we can work out the adoption fee later. She's already spayed, and the vet cleaned up her neck shortly after I rescued her. I have to watch for infection, though." Will scratched the back of his head. "I think she was abused by her previous owner. Tied with a metal chain that was too tight. The wound was rather ugly when I found her."

 

"A shame. I wonder how anyone could harm such a lovely dog." Hannibal said.

 

"Me too." Will paused. "Can I get your address? And a time you might be available on Saturday?"

 

"Certainly," Hannibal said with a smirk.

 

"Alright," Will beamed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update!

"C'mere, Abigail," Will soothed, "It's okay, it's just your harness. I need you to have it on so we can go to Doctor Lecter's house." 

Abigail whined, tail curling between her legs, refusing to budge.

Will sighed, running a hand through his tangled hair. "Alright. Time to resort to bribery."

Will left the back room and entered his kitchen. He opened his fridge, moving various items around until he found what he was looking for: the jar of Jif extra-smooth peanut butter.

Will grabbed a spoon and heaped on a generous portion of peanut butter before returning to the back room.

"Abigail, look what I've got!" Will announced.

All the dogs came rushing to Will. Will managed to maneuver around them.

"Sorry guys, you can get treats later. This is for Abby." Will herded Abigail out of the room. He shut the door to prevent nosy puppies from stealing the peanut butter.

Will held out the spoon for Abigail to see. Abigail eagerly began to lap it up. Will eased Abigail into her harness without a hitch.

The power of peanut butter.

—

When Will pulled up to a large, fancy-looking house, he first wondered if he had the wrong address. However, Hannibal was some kind of a doctor. It must pay well.

Will led Abigail out of the car, then headed to the front door. He rung the doorbell, bouncing nervously on his heels.

The door opened. Abigail walked forward to sniff Hannibal's shoes. Her tail began to wag softly.

"Hello, Abigail," Hannibal greeted the dog fondly, reaching down to give her an affectionate pat. He looked up at Will with a smile. "Come in, Will."

Will entered the house. The interior was as elegant as the exterior: rich hardwood floors, warmly painted walls, simple but no doubt expensive furniture. Will followed Hannibal into Hannibal's kitchen. Will noticed Hannibal had set down a dog bowl filled with water. Abigail began to pull on her harness. Will unclipped the leash and let her scamper towards the water bowl. He stuffed the leash in his pocket.

"I figured she would be thirsty after the long drive," Hannibal explained. "I imagine you are too. Would you care for a drink?"

Will nodded. "Some water would be great."

Hannibal procured a glass from a cabinet, then filled it with ice and filtered water from the refrigerator. He handed it to Will.

Will took a moment to appreciate Hannibal's impeccable appearance. He had a more relaxed look than when he came to Will's house, but did not look any less elegant. Hannibal wore a burgundy-colored dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black slacks.

Abigail finished lapping at her water and trotted over to Will and Hannibal. She sat, eyeing them both curiously.

"So, what will this house inspection entail?" Hannibal asked.

"Oh," Will said after a rather large sip of his water, "Just routine stuff. We can start now. Do you have a yard?" Will asked, setting down his glass.

"Indeed," Hannibal replied. "Follow me."

Hannibal led Will out of the kitchen and to what looked like the living room. A large sliding-glass door took up one of the walls, leading to a generously sized backyard with bright green grass and a patch of geraniums.

"Mind if she explores?" Will asked, gesturing toward the backyard.

"Not at all," Hannibal responded, and slid open the door.

Abigail was hesitant, keeping close to Will's legs.

"It's alright, Abby," Will murmured. "Want me to go outside with you?"

Will walked out the door, Abigail following close behind. Hannibal walked with them, hands in his pockets. Abigail began to sniff around in the grass.

A squirrel crawled out of a tree, twitching its nose. Abigail caught sight of it and ran, barking.

Hannibal stood next to Will. "I suppose it passes her inspection."

Will chuckled. "Squirrels are every dog's weakness."

The squirrel darted away, squeezing itself through the fence. Abigail whined, pawing at the ground where the squirrel disappeared.

Will turned to Hannibal. "Can you show me where she'll be sleeping?" He asked.

"Certainly," Hannibal replied. 

Abigail didn't follow them inside, determined to find the squirrel. Will decided to let her be. She should get accustomed to her new home, anyway. (Will hadn't even completed the inspection, and he already knew he wanted this to be her "forever home", as dog rescuers are wont to call it.)

Hannibal led Will to a corner of his living room, where a plush, scarlet-colored dog bed lay next to a bone-shaped chew toy.

"I may have been too confident in believing I would pass the house inspection," Hannibal said with a smile.

"Nope, I'm pretty sure you pass," Will laughed. "Just a few more questions. Uh… Any children in the house?"

Hannibal practically snorted.

"That's a no, then… How often are you at home?"

"My work schedule is flexible," Hannibal explained. "I tend not to schedule patients after five o'clock, and some days are lighter on appointments than others. Saturdays are my day off."

"Might I ask what your profession is? Just curious…"

"I'm a psychiatrist." 

Will shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "I've had a lot of those," He remarks.

Hannibal raises an eyebrow but doesn't ask any questions. Will felt his face heat. _Great, tell the ridiculously attractive guy that you're a basket case. Way to go, Will._

"So, ah, here's Abigail's vaccination records. And her leash. I wasn't going to get a collar and I.D. tag in case you wanted to give her a different name," Will explained. He procured the medical document and leash from his pocket and handed them to Hannibal.

"Thank you for your consideration, but I think Abigail suits her."

Will smiled. 

"As for diet," Will mentioned, "I prefer Dogswell kibble, but it is a bit expensive. Also, you can cook her some ground turkey and brown rice if you feel inclined. It's good to break up the monotony of kibble now and then."

Will heard the patter of paws approaching, and Abigail came in from outside, nudging at Will's legs. Will give her a scratch.

"So, that's it, I guess," Will said. "Like it says on my Petfinder, the adoption fee is negotiable, but 100 dollars is what I usually ask. I've got to keep the shelter running. Vet bills are awful."

Hannibal procured a check from his pocket. "I remembered," he said, handing the check to Will.

"Thanks."

A pause settled in the air. Hannibal and Will began to walk back through the kitchen to the front hallway. Abigail trailed behind.

"So, uh, call me if you have any problems. Since today is your day off, you should spend it with her. Get her accustomed to her new surroundings."

Hannibal nodded. "Thank you, Will. I am sorry for making you drive all the way to Baltimore."

"It's no problem," Will shrugged. "I've got an appointment today here in Baltimore anyway."

Another pause. 

"Shall I walk you to your car?" Hannibal offered.

"No, no, it's alright. Um, good luck with Abigail. I hope you'll come to love her as much as I do," Will said. "Like I said, um, call me."

Will gave Abigail a pat before leaving. "Have fun, Abby."

—

Later, when Will was driving to Doctor Bloom's office, realization dawned.

"Shit," he groaned, "I said ' _call me'_!"


	3. Chapter 3

"So, how have you been since I saw you last?" Alana asked. 

"Um, in terms of anxiety? It's been okay. Several panic attacks, but nothing a couple Ativan won't fix," Will answered, staring at the beige wall behind his psychiatrist. 

"Like I've said before, Will, I don't want you to be so dependent on Ativan. You're taking it too often, and your body is developing a tolerance for it," Alana explained. "I don't want to keep increasing your dosage." 

Will sighed. He's heard this argument countless times before. 

"I want you to use your coping mechanisms before you resort to Ativan," Alana continued. "Can you remind me of some of your coping mechanisms?" 

Will ran a hand through his hair. "Deep breaths. Pet the dogs. Make a new fishing lure. Go for a walk. Call Beverly," Will rattled them off like a grocery list. "The scary stuff I see on the news are rare occurrences. Violence and murder are not as common as I think, especially in the area I live. It is highly statistically unlikely that such harm would befall me." Will felt his palms become clammy. "I'm so sick of this mortality anxiety. Just talking about it makes me anxious," he laughed without humor in his voice. 

"Think of it as an exposure," Alana suggested. 

Will groaned. "I thought I was done with those." 

"Not if your anxiety levels are no longer manageable." 

"They're manageable," Will muttered. "Um, anyway, I had another adoption success," He said, quickly changing the subject. Alana raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing Will's avoidance, but didn't push the issue. 

"That's great, Will," she said. 

"Yeah," Will smiled. "The guy who adopted was a real charmer. I may have made a complete idiot of myself in his presence." 

"How so?" 

"You know… He's an attractive guy, I'm a socially anxious nutcase," Will said. "Et cetera." 

"Are you interested in him?" Alana asked, point blank. 

Will practically squeaked. "Uh, interested how?" 

"Romantically. Sexually," Alana said, clarifying. 

"Um," Will started. "I mean, it wouldn't exactly be professional. 'Hey, thanks for adopting my rescue dog, by the way— you wanna make out?'" Will laughed. 

"It would be good for you, Will," Alana said. "You were very happy the last time you were interested in someone." 

"If you're talking about Beverly, I— I mistook strong feelings of friendship for romantic attraction." 

"Well, perhaps you should pursue another friendship." Alana smiled. 

*** 

On the drive home, after he had cooled down from yet another embarrassing therapy session, Will found his thoughts constantly drifting back to Abigail. She had always held a special place in Will's heart, and he might have secretly hoped that no one would adopt her so he could keep her under his care. However, he trusted Hannibal to be a loving owner, and that eased his worries somewhat. Will couldn't become too attached to the dogs he took care of— he couldn't financially afford to take care of more than six or seven dogs at a time, and there were always new dogs that stumbled into his rescue. Letting Abigail go was an inevitability. 

Another thought began to nag at Will's mind: _If I talk to Hannibal, maybe I can see Abigail again._

_And for that matter, I might even make friends with Hannibal._

Will wasn't confident in his ability to socialize. Making friends with Beverly was an adventure enough, and even then Beverly had done most of the work. 

Will sighed. If he wasn't so anxious, a multitude of his problems would be solved instantly. But his anxiety was something he'd always dealt with, and while it hadn't really improved in the past few years, at least it hadn't worsened. 

*** 

"Hey," Will said, phone perched between his shoulder and cheek as he prepared the dogs' nighttime meal. He had carrots and peas boiling on the stove to mix into the kibble he was measuring out into dog bowls. 

"Will! You haven't called me in over a week. Not cool, bro." 

Will smiled at the familiar voice in his ear. "Sorry, Beverly, I've been busy." 

"Yeah, busy cuddling with your dogs. What's up?" Beverly asked. 

Will shrugged. "I dunno, not much. Just making the dogs' supper." 

"Ok. I know that voice. What did you _really_ call for?" 

"What voice?" Will said, petulant (even though Beverly was absolutely right). 

Will heard a sigh on the the other line. "Will, it's ridiculously easy to tell when you're worried about something. Spill." 

Shit. "Well. Um. I had another adoption success." 

"Which dog?" 

"Abigail," Will said. 

"Oh. You really liked her," Beverly replied. 

"Yeah." 

"I wouldn't worry," Beverly said. "If you were willing to let her go, it must have been a really great home, right?" 

"Uh-huh," Will mumbled. 

"Will." 

"Okay, okay. I… I may have really liked the guy who adopted her. And I may have made a complete ass of myself in the process." 

Will heard Beverly laugh on the other line. "I'm sure you were fine, Will. Stop freaking out about every little thing." 

"No, you don't get it," Will bemoaned, "Not only did I manage to tell him that I was seeing a psychiatrist, I told him to _call me_." 

"Smooth," Beverly said. 

"It's not funny, Beverly," Will whined. 

"It is, a little bit." Will heard Beverly sigh. "Listen. If he's interested, he'll call you. If he's not, he won't. It's that simple." 

"It's never that simple," Will said pitifully. "Look, I've gotta feed the dogs, I'll talk to you later, ok?" 

"Okay, Will," Beverly said. "You'll be fine. Relax." 

Will hadn't noticed how much his breathing had sped up. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Thanks, Bev. Bye." 

"Bye." 

Will hung up the phone. He knelt down to place the food bowls on the kitchen floor. 

Will whistled. "Here, pups," he called. 

Will heard the scramble of paws and claws scraping the floor, and in a matter of seconds, the kitchen was full of hungry dogs chowing down on their dinner. 

Will gave Winston a pat before he stood up and stretched. As he watched the dogs eat, he absentmindedly slipped his hands inside his pockets and was surprised at the soft rustle of paper next to his keys. 

"Right," Will murmured under his breath. The adoption fee. 

He procured the check from his pocket and unfolded it. 

Dr. Lecter had given him a donation of _six hundred dollars._

"Holy _shit_ ," Will squeaked. Six hundred dollars was enough to cover the dogs' food and medical bills for over a month. 

Will felt a flutter in his stomach. If Hannibal did call him, Will hoped he could properly express his gratitude. 

*** 

The next morning, Will was abruptly awakened by his phone. 

Groggily, Will checked the time. Seven A.M. Who was calling him at seven in the morning? There was only a number displayed on his phone, so it wasn't someone already on his contact list. 

Will picked up his cell phone. "Will Graham speaking." His voice was rough from sleep. 

"Hello, Will," came the voice on the other line. 

Will sat up in bed. That was unmistakably Hannibal's voice. 

"This is Hannibal," the voice said. There was no need to clarify; Will had went over every single word Hannibal had told him in their two brief meetings multiple times in his head. 

"Hello, Hannibal." 

"I'm so sorry to call you so early on a Sunday morning," Hannibal said, "but I'm afraid it's rather urgent. Abby isn't eating." 

Will's stomach dropped. "Hang on, I'm on my way," Will said in a rush. He quickly threw on a pair of jeans and a jacket. Before he left the house, he ran to the fridge, grabbing the jar of peanut butter. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so dang long to update. D:  
> I've definitely got an outline, though, so don't worry-- this fic is still going strong. :)  
> When Alana is talking about "exposures", this is what she's referring to: http://www.ocfoundation.org/cbt.aspx  
> It's commonly used for treating OCD, and can also be used to treat severe anxiety and phobias. I can tell you from personal experience that it sucks butt, but it works.


	4. Chapter 4

Will parked his car on the street in front of Hannibal’s house and ran up to to the front steps. He knocked on the door three times, nervously tapping the side of his leg.

 

The door opened. “Hello, Will,” Hannibal said. “I am so sorry to inconvenience you this morning.”

 

“It’s alright,” Will replied. 

 

Hannibal’s eyebrows raised slightly. “What’s that?” Hannibal asked, pointing to the jar in the crook of Will’s elbow.

 

“Oh,” Will said with a breathy laugh. “Peanut butter. Abigail really likes peanut butter.”

 

On cue, Abigail scuttled to the door to investigate the commotion. She shyly stood in the space between Hannibal’s feet, looking up at Will. Her long, silky tail began to wag.

 

“Hi, girl,” Will said softly. “You must be hungry.”

 

Abigail whined.

 

“Please, come in,” Hannibal said, gesturing inside. Will nodded and followed Hannibal into the house.

 

Hannibal shut the door behind them. “It started last night,” he explained. “I figured she was just having issues adjusting to her new surroundings. However, I woke up this morning and she still had not touched her food.” He sighed. “Perhaps I have overreacted by calling you.”

 

Will shook his head. “No, it’s good that you called me.” 

 

Hannibal led Will to the kitchen while Abigail followed closely behind. Will saw two dog bowls on a mat on the floor. One was filled with kibble, the other with water.

 

Will unscrewed the lid of the peanut butter jar. “Have you got a spoon?”

 

Hannibal moved over to the kitchen counter and pulled out a drawer. He picked up a spoon and handed it over to Will.

 

Will knelt next to Abigail’s bowl and spooned a glob of peanut butter onto the kibble. He swirled the spoon around, making sure to coat as much kibble as he could.

 

“Look what I’ve got, Abigail,” Will called. Abigail’s ears perked up. She trotted over to Will, wagging her tail.

 

Will extended the spoon and Abigail happily licked up the peanut butter. When she started nudging Will’s fingers for more, Will pointed to the food bowl.

 

Abigail sniffed the bowl and hesitantly gave it a lick. Then another lick. Then, she began to chew at the peanut-butter coated kibble.

 

“Is that good, Abby?” Will asked quietly. He ran his hand down her back, soothing her. He turned over his shoulder to talk to Hannibal. “I’m not sure why she wasn’t eating, but it could be any number of things. New surroundings, new company, maybe she misses the other dogs.”

 

“Perhaps she missed you,” Hannibal said. 

 

“Oh, she’ll adjust eventually,” Will said. “I’ll let you keep the peanut butter. Give her some and she’ll love you forever.”

 

Hannibal smiled. “I would have fixed her something else, but I do not eat meat, and as such, did not have any available for her.”

 

Will shrugged. “Oh. Well, you can always buy some just for her. Unless you’re, uh, uncomfortable with that.”

 

Hannibal laughed. It was a rich, deep sound that made Will’s stomach flip a little. Hannibal had come off to Will as a stoic man; the genuine expression of amusement took Will by surprise.

 

“I have no qualms about meat,” Hannibal explained. “It is simply better for my health that I abstain from it.” Hannibal brought a hand up to his chest and gave it a pat. “My heart is temperamental.”

 

“Isn’t everyone’s?” Will chuckled.

 

“A troubled heart is intrinsic to the human condition,” Hannibal said. “Mine is no less susceptible to the emotional than it is the medical. However, while I can take pills for my blood pressure, there is no medicine for loneliness.”

 

“Unfortunately not,” Will said.

 

Abigail was licking the bottom of her empty food bowl. 

 

“She definitely was hungry.” Will reached out and scratched her behind the ears. Her tail was wagging freely. “She probably just had difficulty taking everything in. I think she’ll be okay now.”

 

“Thank you for coming to help,” Hannibal said. “Especially so early on a Sunday.”

 

“It’s alright,” Will said. “I don’t sleep very much anyway. You can call me whenever.” _Shit. Will, you did it again._

 

“I will keep that in mind,” Hannibal said with a smile. “Would you like some coffee before you go?”

 

Will’s heart sped up. “Um, yeah. Sure. I mean, yes, thank you.”

 

Hannibal chuckled under his breath before walking to the rest of the kitchen. Will felt his face heat with embarrassment, but not enough to feel bad about staying. At his feet, Abigail happily wagged her tail.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter was so short! Don't worry, though. I may be a little slow, but there will be more. A lot more. I have big plans for this fic!


	5. Chapter 5

“This is amazing coffee, Hannibal,” Will said, cupping the mug between his hands. “I only ever have time to make the instant stuff.”

 

“Unfortunate,” Hannibal replied, stirring in a heaping spoonful of sugar into his mug. Will smiled. _Someone has a sweet tooth_. 

 

After taking a sip, Hannibal looked at Will with searching eyes. “Are you always rushing?”

 

Will hummed while he formulated his response. “Between the teaching and the rescue, I don’t get much of a breather.”

 

“A shame,” Hannibal said. “But I imagine it is rewarding work.”

 

Will laughed. “The teaching or the dogs?”

 

“Perhaps not the teaching, then.” Hannibal smiled. “I remember being a student. I did not always pay full attention.”

 

“Me either,” Will said. “Now I have an entirely new perspective on that. Probably would have spared my professors some grief if I made eye contact once in a while.”

 

“Trouble with eye contact?” Hannibal asked.

 

“Eyes are distracting. You see too much, you don’t see enough…” Will trailed off, taking another sip of his coffee to keep himself from over-sharing. Hannibal did not need to know about his collection of behavioral oddities.

 

“What do you teach, Will?”

 

“Criminal psychology,” Will said. “I don’t have a doctorate, but I have, um. Field experience.”

 

“And you’re not in the field anymore?”

 

Will shook his head. “I’ll put it lightly: there’s a reason why I retired to teaching so early.” 

 

Hannibal looked at Will with a soft expression, as if he was waiting for Will to give that reason. Under Hannibal's gaze, Will felt compelled to continue.

 

“I had a breakdown.” Panic attacks, depersonalization, night terrors, and on top of it all, encephalitis. Will spared Hannibal from the gritty specifics. “They declared me ‘temporarily unstable for field work’ and put me on leave. I never went back.”

 

“I’m sorry, Will,” Hannibal said quietly. “I find it upsetting that no one thought to look after your psychological wellbeing.”

 

“Oh, they had a department-ordered psychiatrist evaluate me. She seemed more interested in picking my brain apart than putting it back together.”

 

“Sounds like one of my old coworkers,” Hannibal chuckles.

 

Knowing Hannibal’s proximity to the BSU headquarters, Bedelia could very well have crossed paths with Hannibal at some point. Will shivered.

 

Abigail perked up her head and padded over to Will. She nudged his leg with her nose. Will reached down and gently scratched Abigail behind her ears, in the spot she particularly liked.

 

Hannibal smiled. “She’s quite perceptive.”

 

“Always has been,” Will said with affection. “She’s smarter than a dog should be, honestly.”

 

At that moment, Will’s cellphone buzzed loudly in his pocket. _Weird Science_ by Oingo Boingo blasted from its speakers. Beverly. “Oh, _hell_ ,” Will remarked, pulling it out of his pocket. “Beverly was supposed to come over today.”

 

“Your girlfriend?” Hannibal asked.

 

Will laughed awkwardly. “Definitely not.” Will glances at his cellphone’s screen. 10 AM already. 

 

“Well, I wouldn’t want to keep your friend waiting,” Hannibal said, standing up. “Thank you for joining me for coffee, Will.”

 

“Thank you for making it for me,” Will smiled. He rose and headed for the door. Hannibal followed, Abigail close behind.

 

At the doorway, Will swallowed nervously. “Um,” he started. “Call me if you want to let me know how Abigail’s doing.”

 

“Of course,” Hannibal assured. He touched Will’s shoulder gently. Will felt his face prick with heat; he hoped he wasn’t visibly blushing.

 

“Goodbye, Hannibal. Thanks again for the coffee.”

 

“Have a good day, Will.” 

 

Will nodded as he exited Hannibal’s house. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, he put his face in his hands. Oh, he had a crush, and he had it _bad._

 

He dialed Beverly’s number on the way to his car. 

 

“Hi, Bev,” he said. “You’ll _never_ guess where I just was.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update. Anyway, I have a detailed outline of this fic finally! Which means updates should start coming more often than they have been.


End file.
